Jaguar XJS

As it’s the season of goodwill, we’ve been thinking about how we could brighten up somebody’s Christmas this year and have hatched a plan!

Do you know someone (young or old) who, through various circumstances, has had a particularly rough ride this year? Perhaps it’s someone with a disability, or an illness, or someone who has supported you through bad times. Is this person also a big fan of classic Jaguar cars? If so, then we’d like to treat them to an afternoon here at KWE Cars.

We’ll take them out for a half-hour drive in either the Top Gear XJS or in a four-seater Series 3 saloon – or both. Then we’ll take them for a tour of the workshop and finish off with afternoon tea.

To nominate somebody special, simply email chris.knowles@kwecars.com with their name and a brief description of their circumstances. All nominations must be received by 5pm, Friday 19th December. We’ll select a winner on Monday 22nd December – allowing you to give them this treat for Christmas.

We look forward to receiving your nomination.

Please note that children will need to be accompanied by an adult. The winner will need to contact KWE to arrange a mutually convenient date to receive the prize.

This 1989 convertible XJS exudes sophistication with its sleek chrome and tan leather interior. Travelling thousands of miles from Malta, this fine specimen, fondly known as Jeremy, has made quite a journey, and is a far cry from the tired looking car we started work on earlier this year.

On arrival at KWE, it quickly became apparent that the bodywork was in much worse condition than was originally suspected. We found out that the car had been involved in a frontal collision, large amounts of rust were present, and much of it had been disguised with filler and newspaper!

Here are a few news highlights from the classic car industry from the last couple of months…

Classics as investments: still a safe bet? (Car and Classic Magazine)

Today’s classic car market is attracting increasing numbers of investors and speculators. The last few years have certainly seen major increases in classic car values, with vehicles selling for the kind of money that would have seemed unthinkable even just a decade ago.

Ultra-low bank rates are encouraging enthusiasts and investors alike to spend their own money on cars, giving them an enjoyable asset that may continue to rise in value, rather than them simply relying on 1-2% from their bank.

As you know, one of the biggest potential dangers to your classic car’s wellbeing is rust. Rust can quickly take hold of a vehicle, particularly in the winter months, making your prized possession unsafe to drive.

Hot on the heels of our blog post all about rust last month, this video shows you how we were able to transform and restore this XJS Convertible back to its former glory. After rebuilding the rust decayed doors, repairing all the holes and straightening the panels, we applied our specialist rust treatment procedure to all the hidden structural box sections. We hope you enjoy the results!

A few news highlights from the classic car industry over the last couple of months…

XJS makes experts’ list of ‘six young classics worth investing in’

Jaguar XJS (Picture: Classic Driver)

According to Classic Driver, six market experts have identified the Jaguar XJS as one of the best classic cars to invest in.

A grand total of 115,330 Jaguar XJS cars were built over a 21-year span from 1975 to 1996, of which 80 per cent went overseas. Even though it has now been out of production for 18 years, all parts are still available to service the car.

The experts suggest that cars worth looking out for include those with a limited production run, the V12s built between 1975 and 1979, and the 3.6 manual cabriolet.

Jaguar reveals new lightweight E-Type

The first of Jaguar’s new, hand-built lightweight E-Types was unveiled earlier this month. The production, announced in May this year, will be limited to only six models. The cars have been designed to complement the 12 original E-Types that were produced in 1962, bringing the total number of genuine lightweights to 18, the number originally intended.

The new E-Types will be hand built at Jaguar’s new Heritage customer workshop facility, located on the former Browns Lane factory. All the recreation models will feature the famous aluminium body panels that made the lightweight vehicle so unique at the time.

Each of the new E-Types will be powered by a recreation model of the original XK-based straight-six engine, with an aluminium block, a ‘wide angle’ aluminium cylinder head, and a dry slump lubrications system.

Prices for the new E-Types have not yet been released by Jaguar; however, it is expected that the models will cost well over £1 million, with the first car expected to be released at the beginning of next year.

A dentist who amassed Britain’s largest classic car collection has sold the entire £100 million fleet to Jaguar Land Rover. Dr James Hull, 53, spent tens of millions of pounds filling a number of warehouses in Hertfordshire with his impressive 543 classic cars from the past 80 years.

Although Jaguar Land Rover is not thought to have paid the £100 million the collection was valued at, the deal was welcomed by Dr Hull who described the new owners as “the perfect custodian”. The Jaguars will now be housed in a purpose-built factory in Coventry.

Ferrari 250GTP fetches a cool £22 million

A Ferrari 250GTO Berlinetta has become the most expensive car ever to be purchased at auction, fetching a staggering £22,843,633 at Bonham’s Quail Lodge, California on 14 August.

As predicted, the ex-Fabrizio Violati 1962 model knocked the Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix racer sold by Bonhams at Goodwood in 2013 off the top spot; some pundits, however, expected the vehicle to collect a higher price.

The sports prototype received a huge cheer from the audience as it took centre stage. The sale took less than 15 minutes as Robert Brooks conducted the bidding battle between an American buyer and overseas rival.

At the same auction a Ferrari 250 Mille Miglia also fetched an impressive sum, selling for $8.8 million. A grand total of £39,522,440 changed hands during the sale of the Maranello Rosso Collection.

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About KWE

KWE has become the top specialist in rebuilding, upgrading and repairing Jaguar XJ-based cars including the XJS, DB7 and Series 1/2/3 XJ saloons. We also work with the Jaguar E type, Mark 2, XK8, X300, X308. We are within easy reach of London, the M3, M4 and M40 motorways. We are an engineering-based company where quality is paramount and customer support comes naturally.